Agatha Christie's Poirot: Evil Under the Sun

May 18, 2022 3:04 PM - Season 8, Episode 1

Poirot takes a holiday at a stylish Devon hotel, only to find himself in the middle of another mystery when a guest is found murdered. Suspicion falls on the victim's husband and several other guests, and Poirot is forced to use all his powers of observation and human insight in order to solve the complex case.
posted by Carillon (6 comments total)

Again really clever. I did love the sun soaked locale, and the fun little tram that they took to get to the island. Tidal islands are so cool, so that was a fun little touch. The hotel too apparently still exists which is interesting, though when I idly checked prices it's very expensive. I feel I say this a lot but it was a very clever murder plot, great way to throw everyone off by getting the time of death completely wrong.
posted by Carillon at 3:27 PM on May 18, 2022 [1 favorite]

I do like this one a lot, too. I always get the plot confused with Triangle at Rhodes, and the title confused with Appointment with Death (for the latter, I always thought this title was better for how that one actually turns out :) )
posted by knownassociate at 6:20 AM on May 19, 2022

It’s my favorite plot device: when the time of death is manipulated! except I didn’t suspect a fake body. And a young Russell Tovey doing a posh accent. Favorite part was the sea tractor. Poor Hastings has lost all his money again.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:18 PM on May 19, 2022

Are we supposed to read Hastings as coming from gentry and money generally? Also thinking about it how common is it to go by your title even after your service? Like I know the major from Fawlty towers, and your see random Colonels and Generals in fiction, but Captain isn't that high of a rank.
posted by Carillon at 8:48 PM on May 19, 2022

Also thinking about it how common is it to go by your title even after your service?

I believe (at that time at least) it's not that uncommon for commissioned officers instead of NCOs as that can be a signifier of class (i.e. having access to military academy)?
posted by juv3nal at 9:19 AM on June 3, 2022

Are we supposed to read Hastings as coming from gentry and money generally?

Yes, I think we are supposed to read him as coming from a wealthy family, as although he often complains about a lack of money, he does not seem to need to earn a living, and after his marriage he goes to Argentina to be a rancher, an occupation requiring a substantial capital outlay. Perhaps he is a second son living on an allowance or a small amount of property.

How common is it to go by your title even after your service?

It was the custom in England that an army captain like Hastings (or a more senior officer) was addressed by his rank, and continued to be so addressed even after leaving the service, while lieutenants and more junior ranks were not. From Encyclopædia of Etiquette (Emily Holt, 1909): "It is an unwritten law of etiquette in the army that no officer of lower rank than captain shall preface his name with other title than that of Mr."
posted by cyanistes at 4:00 PM on March 22, 2023